Book-index.



L. R. SMITH.

BOOK INDEX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, m 1.

Lls g n Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

mm 1%!" z suitable manner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS B. SMITH, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVERSAL INDEXING COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

BOOK-INDEX.

Application filed November 16, 1911.

citizen of the United States, residing at Colorado Springs, county of El Paso, and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book- Indexes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in book indexes, my object being more especially to facilitate the opening of a reference book, as a directory, to the proper place, or to the first page of the names beginning with any desired letter or character.

My further object is to provide an index which is exceedingly simple and therefore inexpensive, and which may be readily appllied by any person without any special srill.

In my improved construction, I equip the cover of the book with the letters of the alphabet arranged in groups, the letters of adjacent groups being differently colored and preferably surrounded on three sides with a heavy line of the same color as thesurrounded group. While this grouped arrangement of the alphabet may be applied directly to the front cover of the book, it is preferred that it be formed upon a triangular pocket, adapted to fit over the upper righthand corner of the front cover, being secured in any suitable manner, as by a small clip or many other way.

Opposite each letter of each group of the alphabet applied to the front cover of the book, as heretofore explained, is placed a mark of the same color as-the letteropposite which it is located, the said mark be ing formed onthe front edges of the leaves of the book, commencing at the first page where the names or subjects begin with the particular letter in question. The applying of these colored marks may be accomplished by means of colored pencils, or in any other It is preferred that the mark opposite each letter be continued slightly inwardly beyond the outer edge of the front face of the first leaf of the book containing the names beginning with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Serial No. 660,622.

particular letter in question, the said letter being preferably applied to the front page of the said first leaf, the said letter being located in proximity to the colored extension mark. However, any suitable mark on the front page of the first leaf of the names or subjects beginning with any particular letter will accomplish the purpose, since the only object is to correctly inform-the person who is opening the book that he has opened it to the proper place. Hence, as the particular mark decided upon only occurs on the front page of the first leaf containing the names or subjects beginning with any letter, the person opening the book knows when he sees this mark that he has opened it to the proper place. The marks upon the front edges of the leaves of the book need only be of sufficient extent to be fairly conspicuous, since, as long 'as the mark oommences at the proper leaf, it is of no consequence how far it extends from that leaf over the edge of other leaves, except for the purpose stated.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing Figure 1 is a perspective View of a book equipped With my improved index. Fig. 2 is a perspective view in detail of the triangular corner piece, upon which is formed the alphabet in grouped arrangement, the same being shown on a larger scale than in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a fragmentary front view of the front edge of the book, showing a number of the colored markings arranged to harmonize as to position with letters of corresponding color constituting the groups of the alphabet, shown on a larger scale than in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing the front edges of a number of leaves of the book on which one of the colored marks is formed, the front face of the first leaf upon which the names commence with the letter H being exposed.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 20 designate a detachable corner piece of triangular shape, adapted to be applied to the upper righthand corner of the book, as shown in Fig. l, the same being secured in place by means of a small clip or fastener 6. It is evident that the corner piece may be secured in any other suitable manner. Upon the front face of this corner piece, and along the front edge thereof, the alphabet is formed, the letters being arranged in groups designated, res 'iectively, by the numerals from 1 to G, inclusive. The group designated 1 is supposed to contain letters red, the color being indicated by the heavy marginal line formed on three sides of the group. The next group below, or that designated 2, is supposed to contain let ters colored blue, the color of the letters being indicated by the marginal line inclosing the group on three sides, and so on downwardly, the groups being alternately colored red and blue. It is evident that any other suitable color might be employed.

Opposite each letter of the group 1, for instance, marks 7 are formed on thefront edges of the leaves of the book, the said marks, in each instance, being located directly opposite the various letters of the group, each mark beginning with the leaf where the names or subjects commence with the letter opposite which the mark is formed. Hence, the marks 7 ,see Fig. 1,-are supposed to be red, to harmonize with the color of the letters of that particular group; while the marks 8'of the group 2 next below are supposed to be colored blue, and so on, down to the end of the groups, the marks 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, respectively, designating edge marks located directly oppositethe letters of the alphabet, there being as many marks opposite each group as there are letters in that group, the marks, in each instance, corresponding in color with the color of the letters.

In using the book, it is only necessary to determine the first letter of the name sought in the book, as a telephone directory. The user then places his thumb upon the front edgesof the leaves of the book in such a position as to cause the leaves, when properly bent, to open at the first page containing names beginning with that particular letter. He should be sure to place his thumb rather in advance than too far toward the back cover of the book, since, if he allows one or two leaves to turn forwardly before reaching the right page, no harm is done, since the proper leaf will be quickly found by the I mark 15 forming a continuation of the mark 8. for instance, on the front page of the leaf of the book containing the desired letter.

Havin g thus described my invention, what 1 claim is 1. The combination with a book, of a pocket detachably applied to one corner of piece having characters arranged in groups adjacent the front edge of the cover of the book, the edges of the leaves of the book opposite the various characters being marked, the marks opposite the said charaeters beginning with the leaves where the matter commences to which the respective characters relate, the characters formed on the said pocket being colored, adjacent marks on the edges of the leaves corresponding in color with the respective characters opposite which they are located.

3. The combination with a book, of a corgroups being of different colors and the nor pocket applied to the upper righthand corner of the front cover of the book, the said pocket having characters arranged adj acent the front edge of the book, the edges of the leaves having marks opposite the various characters, the marks opposite each character commencing with the leaf where the matter begins to which the particular character relates, the said mark being continued for a short distance on the front face of the first leaf containing the matter to which the particular character relates.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS R. SMITH. Witnesses:

F. E. BOWEN, A. EBERT OBRmN. 

